Buffer for automobiles



Nov. 9 1926. 1,606,430

N. L. OBRECHT ET AL BUFFER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 15, 1923 INVENTOR.GiEfZ flefifa r @a/Vr E. P/E/CE ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

" UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

BUFFER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed October 15, 1923. SerialNo. 668,606.

Our invention relates to bufiers for automobiles and an object of ourimprovements is to provide an ornamental buffer that shall be durableand convenient to construct and assemble.

We secure this object in the construction shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a buffer embodying ourinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of one end of the striker-bar, theconstituent parts being in the process of being assembled.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, the parts being in their assembledpositions.

Fig. 4: is a detail section on the line IVIV Figures 1 and 5.

b, b, are the supporting braces, and a is the striker-bar, supported andheld in position by the braces b, b.

Each of the braces b, b, is composed of two flat rods asembled into aY-formation, the stem of which is composed of portions of said rodsbolted or riveted together with their flat sides in contact, said rodsthen continuously diverging in opposite directions until they are inposition to have the cross or striker-bar a, secured to them withcontiguous'portions parallel, as shown in Fig. 1.

The cross-bar or striker-bar a, is composed of a flat steel bar a rolledat its ends to form vertical eyes a a and a similar bar or strip a ofany ornamental metal such as aluminum, an alloy of the same or otherwhite metal, or metal of a different color from that of the bar a Thebar a is shaped to a convex formoutwardly from the vehicle, to which itis secured by the braces b, b,'and the strip (1* is placed upon itsconvex surface so that it is in' contactaround the eyes a a at a a, andcome into contact with the inner surface of the bar a for a shortdistance asshown at a, a. The strip a is of slightly less width than thestrip a so that anything rubbing against the edge of the cross-bar a,shall not tend to separate the strips a a (Fig. 5), and is,

secured by clips 0, c, and bolts toward the center of the bar as shown.in Figures 1 and 5.

To draw the strip a firmly to place and secure it as a permanentintegral portion of the striker-bar a, the following expedienls andmodes of assembly are employed.

The outer rod N, of each of the braces b,

'is bent toward its end to a greater curvature than that of the bar (1,thus forming an elbow or salient portion 6 at the point of contact withsaid bar. as shown in Fig. 2. A bolt is then passed through a. bolt holein the rod 6 between its end and the elbow b and through bolt holes inthe bar a and strip a. The bolt is then drawn up bending the end of therod outward with respect to the'automobile and the end of the bar a,inward. The end of the rod 6 comes in contact with the strip a where thelatter is bent around the eye a some distance from the surface of thebar a, and as the end of the rod 5 continues to be bent toward the bar(11?, it carries the end of the strip along with it, tightening saidstrip on the concave surface of the bar (1 The bolt cl, fits tightlyagainst the side of the hole in the strip (1*, which is toward the endof the bar a. As the end of the rod b isdrawn toward the bar a, thelatter is bent inward toward the former and the bolt (Z, is inclinedfrom its first position so as to draw outward on the strip a and act todraw the same'more closely against the concave surface of the bar 0.

In the above construction the strip a is somewhat stretched by theforces put upon it and if it expands with a rise of temperature morethan the bar a the strain is only partly relieved thereby. The strip ais always, and permanently held against the convex surface of the bar athroughout the extent of said surface with a force at each pointsuflicient to counteract the effect of any jolt or jar and to preventrattling or a separation of the contiguous surfaces.

The nature of an automobile construction is such as to make itparticularly desirable that the buffer, or fender should be of anornamental nature. Tothis end the crossbar has been nickel-plated, butthe exposed position and the nature of its use, has caused so rapiddeterioration that the expedient is unsatisfactory even after hundredsof thousands of dollars have been expended'in experimental work andattempts to make the strip of ornamental metal, as above described, theornamental effect is satisfactory and permanent and the construction ismore desirable from a utilitarian point of view outside of theornamental effect.

While steel is used as the material of which buffers are constructed, wehave used the word structural material in the claims to distinguish fromthe ornamental material.

What we claim is 1. In an automobile buffer across-bar consisting of abar bent to present an outward convex surface and a strip of ornamentalmaterial extending along said convex surface and held in contact wit-hsaid surface by a longitudinal tensional force on said strip.

2. In an automobile buffer, a cross bar consisting of twostrips laidtogether with their broad surfaces in contact and bound together rigidlyand permanently to form a single composite bar, one of said strips beingwhollyof an ornamental material, said'composite bar being bent into acurve with said strip of ornamental material on the convex surface.

3. The method of assembling the cross-bar of claim 2 consisting informing the bar of structural material with rounded ends and winding thestrip around said ends.

4. The method of assembling the cross-bar of claim 2 consisting informing the bar of structural material with rounded ends and winding thestrip around said ends and securing the ends of said strip that haspassed around the rounded end of said bar.

5. The method of assembling the cross-bar of claim 2 consisting informing the bar of structural material with rounded ends and winding thestrip around .said ends and securing the end of said strip that haspassed around the rounded end of said bar to the inner surface of saidbar-bya securing means that puts a longitudinal tension on said strip.

6. In an automobile buffer a cross-bar consisting of a bar of structuralmaterial, a strip of ornamental material extending along the outersurface of the bar of structural material, a brace-rod'engaging said baron its inner surface toward the end of said bar and extending from saidengaging point toward said end and in a direction inclined outward fromthe adjacent surface of said bar and a bolt passing througlrsaidbrace-rod between its contact point and its outer end and through saidstructural bar and ornamental strip, said bolt being tightened up todraw said cross-bar and; brace rod together.

7. In an automobile bufier a cross-bar consisting of a bar of structuralmaterial a strip of ornamental material extending along the outersurface of the bar of structural mate'- rial, a brace-rod engaging saidbar on its inner surface toward the end of said bar and extending fromsaid engaging point toward said end and in a direction inclined outwardfrom the adjacent surface of said bar and a bolt passing through saidbrace-rod between the contact point and its outer end and cross-barinward by tightening up on said bolt.

9. The method of assembling the construction of claim 6, which consistsin bending the cross-bar inward by tightening up on said bolt andthereby tensionin said strip by the action thereon of said bolt.

10. The, method of assembling the construction of claim 7.which-consists in cansing the end of said brace-rod to engage said stripafter it haspassed around said rounded end and at a distance from saidbar, and tensioning said strip by the drawing in of said brace rod.

In'testimony whereof, we sign this specification.

NORBERT L. OBRECHT. FRANK E. PRICE.

